Ostia (City)
Ostia is one of the youngest cities in Eleutheria, and much of its primary construction has yet to be completed. While the territory claimed for the city is currently too disparate to truly be considered a single unit, land reclamation projects and the construction of various bridges, water ways, rail lines, and the new Nether Hub, are beginning to bind the territory together into a single whole. Geography Ostia is rather unique in that it is actually spread over several landmasses, all of which are either in, or are bordering, the Sea of Levant. The city government and critical infrastructure is largely being constructed on the island quarter, while roughly half of the small nearby continent, from the coastline to the river Alph, has been claimed for the main population center. Much of the water between them will be built upon as well, leaving room for a grand canal and potentially a so-called 'floating city'. City Quarters Ostia is organized by quarters, an idea inspired by Valentia's successful organization into districts. Currently only one district is open, with another two under construction, though many more are planned. The Gardens The optimistic name Lord Timbrelaine has begun calling his vision for the capitol district of Ostia, this quarter is built upon the sheer cliffs of the island Österreich, a primeval wonder surveyed by none less than Princeps Madflavius II himself. Underbridge A city quarter planned on land to be reclaimed from the Levant, beginning underneath the Ostiasbrücke and continuing South, to form one border to the planned Grand Canale. Inselstadt The name for the planned artificial island that will form the other border of the Grand Canale. Much of the material dredged from the main harbor is being used for this purpose. Kellenheim The historical district, Kellenheim hosted the Ostian people after Old Ostia was abandoned during the Hiems Perpetua. Once a part of Ancelstierre, it was generously ceded to help start the new Ostia. This flourishing quarter, boasting the highest population of any part of the city, is rapidly expanding under the leadership of Lord Alexander_Diddle. Landmarks Ostia boasts some of the largest and most impressive structures in Eleutheria. Grand Ostian Nether Hub Also simply called the Hub, this is one of the largest modern structures in the nether. Built by carving out vast spaces from netherrack and enclosing them behind sturdy walls, this structure is designed for comfortable and secure local transportation around all around Ostia. It boasts no less than ten distinctive and powerful four-sided nether gate, and a system of rail transit to locations outside of central Ostia. A newly conceived system of locking gates is in the works to deter intruders. Ostiasbrücke While dwarfed by the Ancelstierrean rail lines, this bridge is nonetheless one of the largest structures of its kind in Eleutheria. It provides access to the capital quarter and the central continent under Ostia control. The Floating Gardens Though still under construction, the Gardens are already dominated by the construction of a massive, terraced garden temple, featuring trees and plants found all over Eleutheria. This temple serves to exhibit Ostias wealth and power, but also to establish a connection to the past- like much of Old Ostia, this structure was built on the ruins of an even more ancient temple, some of which have been left unrepaired so they can be viewed in their natural state. It is one of the few examples of ancient ruins preserved within a city's limits, and even rarer are the few legible inscriptions that have surivived. Under the order of Lord Timbrelaine III, the ruins that lie further down are being excavated for individual exploration as soon as the artifacts are recovered. The Grand Exchange The Grand Exchange is an enormous economic facility currently under construction in Ostia. It's foundation is to date the largest artificial landmass in Eleutheria, and at it's completion will mark the beginning of construction on several other large economic facilities. Architecture Main article: Neo-Ostian Architecture Ostian architecture can be generalized to belong to one of several schools of Neo-Ostian Architecture, each pioneered by a prominent Ostian citizen. While faintly reminiscent of the architecture that characterized Old Ostia, each school demonstrates a greater refinement and focus on certain classical elements of the style, while employing a wider variety of material and distinct architectural features than ever before. The unifying elements of the school are its focus on detail and strict adherance to 'clean' and 'open' structures, and the repitition of architectural elements and materials. Category:Cities